In general the present invention relates to cable connectors and, in particular, to a cable drop connector having a universal locking sleeve for allowing a plurality of cable waving varying diameters to be coupled to the cable connector.
Present cable television, broadband Internet, and satellite systems employ three primary types of cable. The cable commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cstandardxe2x80x9d cable has a center conductor, an inner dielectric encasing the center conductor, a layer of foil surrounding the inner dielectric, a braided shield encasing the foil, and an outer dielectric called the xe2x80x9cjacket.xe2x80x9d The second type of cable is called the xe2x80x9ctri-shieldxe2x80x9d and consists of a center conductor, an inner dielectric encasing the center conductor, a first layer of foil surrounding the inner dielectric, a braided shield encasing the foil, a second layer of foil surrounding the braided shield, and an outer jacket. The third type of cable is called the xe2x80x9cquad-shieldxe2x80x9d and comprises a center conductor, an inner dielectric encasing the center conductor, a first layer of foil surrounding the inner dielectric, a first braided shield encasing the first layer of foil, a second layer of foil surrounding the first braided shield, a second braided shield encasing the second layer of foil, and an outer jacket. Each type of cable has a different diameter due to the presence of the multiple layers of foil and braided shields, and offers various degrees of RF shielding for the center conductor.
In addition, two primary series of cable sizes are used in the industry: Series RG 6 and Series RG 59. Each of these series employs the use of the three types of cable mentioned above. This variation in cable types and series has required cable connector manufacturers to produce a wide variety of connectors of differing sizes to service all the cable types and series.
Current xe2x80x9cuniversalxe2x80x9d connectors all require deformation of a non-rigid locking sleeve to annularly compress the various types of cable. This kind of locking sleeve is disadvantageous because uniform annular compression is difficult to obtain when thinned or weakened plastic or metallic material is forced inward under various axial compression forces and differing cable sizes. Therefore, current xe2x80x9cuniversalxe2x80x9d connectors may perform poorly in water migration and cable pull out tests and have therefore not been well accepted by the industry.
It would therefore be advantageous from manufacturing, advertising, shipping, and cost perspectives to have a single cable connector to service all Series RG 6 cables and a single connector to service all Series RG 59 cables. Most importantly, it would be desirable to have a universal connector that passes water migration and cable pull out tests for varying diameters of cable while receiving the three different types of cable via the use of a rigid locking sleeve that is not compressed during cable installation.
The present invention eliminates the above difficulties and disadvantages by providing a cable connector with a rigid locking sleeve for allowing a plurality of varying diameter cables to be coupled to the connector via the locking sleeve. The cable connector includes a connector body and a post coupled to the connector body at a secured end. The post also includes a receiving end axially opposite the secured end and preferably an annular lip integrally formed at the receiving end.
A sleeve is adapted to receive one of the plurality of varying diameter cables therein. The sleeve has an unlocked and a locked position wherein the sleeve is at least partially disposed within the connector body. The sleeve has a forward end for being inserted into the connector body and a rearward end for receiving the cable therein. A protrusion is at least partially housed within the sleeve and is preferably integrally formed in the sleeve and is annular. In an alternate embodiment the protrusion is an O-ring or non-annular rubber material disposed inside the sleeve. The protrusion can be of the same material and hardness of the sleeve or of a different hardness.
The protrusion preferably includes a leading edge that is complimentary to the lip of the post to ease the sleeve over the lip of the post and cable during transition from the unlocked position to the locked position. The protrusion further includes a trailing edge that can be formed at a complimentary angle to the leading edge. The leading edge may also be disposed at a lesser angle than the trailing edge to ease insertion of the sleeve around the post and cable when transitioned to the locked position.
In the locked position, clearance is provided between the lip and the sleeve to accommodate the plurality of varying diameter cables while sealing the cable connector from environmental elements between the post and the trailing edge of the protrusion by compression crimping the cable. The protrusion is disposed in the connector body apart from the lip so that the cable is crimped instead of the locking sleeve. The protrusion is also disposed toward the secured end of the post when the locking sleeve is in the locked position.